Germany has not changed position on tax, welcomes its immediate removal

International partners say tax removal would be a good step for restarting dialogue, which has now stalled the cause of the tax.

Days ago, Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said this tax would be replaced with full trade, economic and political reciprocity. But deciding reciprocity is opposing the United States of America.

The White House's envoy for the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, Ambassador Richard Green, continues to insist that the 100% tax on products from Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina should be lifted and that without reciprocity.

Germany is on the same line as the United States. The German Embassy in Kosovo, in a response to Telegrafi, has said Germany's position remains unchanged and that the German government will welcome the immediate removal of the tax.

Our “Location remains unchanged: The German government will welcome an immediate removal of the 100% tax imposed by Kosovo for Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina”, the German Embassy in Kosovo said.

The Germans have further stressed that tax removal would be an important step to resume dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia.

“This would be an important step to resume the EU facilitated dialogue”, it says in their response to Telegrafi.

We remember that Kurti's pledge to lift the tax and replace it with reciprocity prompted sharp reactions from the opposition in Kosovo.

This led US President Donald Trump's special envoy for the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, Ambassador Richard Green addressed Kadri Veselin, chairman of the Democratic Party of Kosovo, telling him that “tax on Serbian goods must be removed” and that Kurti “has the right to this direction”.

Against replacing the reciprocity tax came former Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj, who through a public letter asked Prime Minister Kurti not to remove the tax.

Kosovo has taxed 100% products imported from Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina in November 2018.